I recently returned from my third RAPDD (REALTOR® Association Professional Development Directors) conference in Wichita, Kansas after spending a couple of days in DC with the NAR policy and leadership academy folks the week before. Learned a lot, got a lot of good work done and as always met up with old friends and made some new ones.
Now for my job(s) I do get (have) to travel a little bit, which I still have fun with. I have the opportunity to expand my network and grow my business wherever I go, which is awesome. I also use my time to find out what events others are planning on attending. What struck me these past few weeks at these events was the number of upcoming events and conferences that people were going to be attending. Which, as will happen, got me thinking.
The sheer volume of conferences, networking events and meetings is astounding. From Brokerage conferences to local meetings a real estate professional could spend, literally, every week traveling from place to place. Don’t even begin to include charity work, regulatory or training sessions that I attend or present. And this begs the questions: I sell real estate… when will I work? and which ones should I be at that will improve my professionalism, expand my network and, frankly, help me make more money.
For my school I do have to attend certain events. I just left the RAPDD conference and the next meeting of these association types will take place at the NAR MidYear Conference in Washington, D.C. I’ll be there in May, along with association leaders from around the world, but would a day-to-day practitioner benefit from these meetings? Probably not. Business meetings are good for networking with influential REALTORS® from everywhere but unless you need a vacation to the Nations Capital there isn’t much else going on. (sorry expo vendors)
So this brings me to my point – what events would I suggest are possibly worth traveling to that will benefit the day-to-day business of an industry professional? Let’s look at a few options.
Education Events:
Events like RAPDD or the annual REEA (Real Estate Educators Conference) are great for trainers and Education Directors (which should include corporate and brokerage staff as well, by the way). Speakers can showcase themselves and staff can gain insight into what marketing ideas are floating around. How do we get a more educated real estate professional? That is one of the main questions asked and answered at these events. (sidebar: Trainers should also be considering IDWs and professional speaking organizations like NSA in order to improve their own skills. Just Sayin’.)
Would I recommend these for practitioners? No.
Regulatory Meetings:
Organizations like ARELLO, ARRO and state and local entities hold events a few times each year. While those involved in education that is regulated (think CE providers) may find some value, these are not good for practitioners 99.9% of the time.
Would I recommend these for practitioners? No.
NAR Meetings:
NAR actually holds many meetings throughout the year. The average member only hears about one or two of them (Annual Conference and MidYear). But between committee meetings and other events, there are groups gathering all the time.
If you are lucky enough to serve or be included in a select group, attend. Every meeting, every time, attend. (pet peeve: Accepting a committee assignment and then not showing up for committee meetings. Hey, we’re working here…get your ass on a plane. ’nuff said.)
But for the average practitioner, my one and only recommendation is the NAR Annual Conference. Held since 1908, these are the largest and best conferences (still…) for a member to attend. Meet folks from everywhere, attend sessions that will directly impact your bottom line, talk with folks who work in your niche market and share information.
Click Here to view neat retrospective on past conferences from NAR
Would I recommend these for practitioners? Absolutely. Just Do It.
State Association Conferences:
I’ve been fortunate to be invited to speak at some of these and let me tell you, this is the place to be. If your state has an annual conference you should go, at least for one day. Meet vendors at the expo (or in the hallways) and network with everyone you meet. Why? Simple: The greatest number of referrals you will see will come from within your market area. i.e. your state.
Would I recommend these for practitioners? Yes. Networking enhances the bottom line. Find out what your state association can do for you.
And another thing: Attend your local association annual events as well. THIS IS WHO YOU WORK WITH EVERY DAY! KNOW WHO THEY ARE!
Brokerage Conferences:
Been lucky to attend these, and they are fun. Keep in mind that some may have a company bent, but large firms will bring in high quality speakers and great information. Also keep in mind that your brokerage, if it is national or has a connected referral network, may be your largest source of both incoming and outgoing referral business. Think you might want to be the local expert that gets that slice? Thought so.
Would I recommend these for practitioners? Yes.
Designation Conferences:
CRS Sell-a-bration is the largest designation conference going. (As I write this post the event is going off! Follow updates on Twitter –> Click Here
If you are a resort marker then the RSPS conferences might be the ticket. Just remember that these events are specific to designees. Once you have the designation then attending one of these may be of interest. Increased networking and the possibility of learning something that will affect your bottom line.
Would I recommend these for practitioners? Maybe. Depends on schedule and how directly you feel the information will be of value.
So where are we at? If you spent 3 days at the NAR conference, 2 days with your brokerage, 2 days at a designation event and a day at your state conference you would spend 8 days networking and learning each year without even setting foot inside an un-conference, CE class or any type of workshop (think local economic forecast). Yikes! That’s a lot! Hey Curt, this is starting to sound expensive? And what the hell is an “un-conference”?
Un-conferences might include REBarCamp or RETech South (I’ll cover these next time). And Yeah, I know, I know… it is expensive. Air fare, hotel, cab, food, clothes (yeah, clothes) and conference fees will add up. Quick. My budget for training and education alone is…. (insert horror-stricken face here). But it can be worth it. I recently saw a tweet from @CRSConnect quoting Brian Copeland (Pro Tip: it’s probably on the Sell-a-Bration stream above) that stated he has calculated an 813% return for every dollar spent with CRS, which is AWESOME!
Ponder that stat, and then next time I’ll cover CE, area events, un-conferences, tips for getting the most out of an event and then later we’ll quickly analyze of the ROI for the individual. Then you will be able to decide what conferences and events you should consider.
And by “consider” I mean “attend, engage in and use as a jumping off point to success”. More on that later as well. In the meantime, I’ll take suggestions for the most valuable events you have attended. (Cuz yeah, I need more time on the road…..pfffffftttttt)
